100+ Definitions 71

Invincible #71

The Low-Frequency Listener (L-FL):  The 71^st installment in the chronicles of Invincible begins with the heroes of Earth combating yet another invasion of the entire planet Earth, this time from the Flaxans, other-dimensional beings who previously launched invasions of Earth in issues 3 and 14.  After overcoming this threat, Invincible, along with his father, brother, and Allen the Alien depart Earth to join ranks in the Coalition of Planets’ war against the Viltrumite Empire.

Invincible #71 (I#71):  Before departing, Nolan Grayson (Omni-Man’s civilian identity) speaks with his estranged wife in an attempt to mend their relationship.  The mending proceeded poorly.  Mark Grayson speaks with Samantha Wilkinson about his possible mortality.

L-FL: Mortality continues surfacing as a theme in the past several issues of Invincible.  Other writers noted how superheroes serve as metaphors for wish fulfillments of power, but instead of power, the pages seem more akin to wish fulfillments for immortality and stasis.  In the panel where Samantha and Mark talk, Samantha interrupts and silences her boyfriend before he can even voice the word “die.”  This verbal maneuvering can be understood as a representation for the avoidance of death.  A common-heard critique against the superhero genre is that nothing ever changes.  While Invincible generally sidesteps the forever-status-quo plaguing other superhero titles, this issue returns to an invasion by a previously seen species, the return of a heroic father, the return of the same Viltrumite attackers, and a purposeful avoidance of speaking “death.”

I#71: This speculation is great and everything, but how about you save it for an essay.  Give us the short version.

L-FL: Oh yeah, sorry.  A superhero and the genre in which superheroes exist serve as a wish-fulfillment metaphor of immortality in a utopia as promising and problematic as the Republic of Plato.

I#71: No.  Not him.  How?